More Northern NJ spots

[bigpix]

Here are a couple of more places for a good to really good slice in Northern NJ. I work in Fairfield off US 46 and there are a bunch of places nearby for a slice or two.
Hollywood Pizza on Hollywood Ave. just off Rt. 46. I've never had a whole pie but when the slices are fresh they are very good. Nice and thin with a good sauce.
A couple of miles westbound is Fairfield Pizza. This guy make a super thin crust and the sauce is light and sweet. I strongly recommend this place. Again, I need to have a fresh pie sometime for comparison.
Heading a bit further westbound is Gencarelli's Pine Brook Pizza. I have had many a pie there and love the place. Real old school NY Style pie with a great sauce.
Closer to home in Denville is Denville Pizzeria. Once again, a fresh pie, eaten on site is wonderful. A flavorful dough with great sauce and cheese.
More to come as I discover them.
I live an endless search for great pizza.  For that I can always go to the Reservoir. That reminds me that there is a Reservoir Pizza in S. Orange that was quite good when I was a kid.

[Glutenboy]

Bigpix --

I grew up in North Jersey myself (Upper Saddle River in Bergen County).  My love affair with pizza began at a Pizzeria in Montvale, NJ called Phil's on Chestnut Ridge Road.  I know that it's still there, but this was thirty years ago, so the chances that it is the same as I remember are slim to nil.  Have you (or anybody else reading this) been there recently?  Is it everything I remember?  What I do remember is a classic old style New York pie with a thin crust that had a rim full of blisters, and grease that would run out the back of the folded slice and down your arm.  Oh, the rapture!!!  I live in LA now, and fear I may never recapture this elusive memory.  Any thoughts anyone?

-- Glutenboy

[cbo pizza]

A wonderful pizza restaurant in New Jersey, although further south along the Jersey Shore is the coal-fired pizza cafe in Bradley Beach. Great fresh taste eminating from the coal brick oven, with a limited menu of pizza, salads and panini sandwiches. It does not appear they even have a kitchen! I was there during the week, and according to the owner, it isn't nearly as crowded during the week as the weekends. Great pizza! In addition to their "signature" neopolitan pie, I also tried their pesto pizza, made with fresh pesto sauce, with no tomato sauce. 

[David]

A wonderful pizza restaurant in New Jersey, although further south along the Jersey Shore is the coal-fired pizza cafe in Bradley Beach. Great fresh taste eminating from the coal brick oven, with a limited menu of pizza, salads and panini sandwiches. It does not appear they even have a kitchen! I was there during the week, and according to the owner, it isn't nearly as crowded during the week as the weekends. Great pizza! In addition to their "signature" neopolitan pie, I also tried their pesto pizza, made with fresh pesto sauce, with no tomato sauce. 

cbo pizza......That wouldn't happen to be CBO Pizza would it?

Shameless self promotion ..............................

[cbo pizza]

Just a big fan of true original pizza... 

[SteveVit]

I like Vic's in Bradley Beach, they make a nice pie.


The top three Pizza
----------------------------
DiFara's (B'klyn) The absolute best! The King!
Top Road Tavern & Pizza (Trenton, NJ) NJ's best tomato pie!
Palermo's (Bordentown, NJ) NJ's second best!


Great Pizza
--------------
DeMarco's (NYC)
Patsy's (NYC)
Grimaldi's (B'klyn)
Frank Pepe's (New Haven, CT)
Vic's (Bradley Beach, NJ)
Santillo's Brick Oven Pizza (Elizabeth, NJ)
Delorenzo's (Trenton, NJ on Hamilton Ave)

Honarable mentions
-----------------------------
John's (NYC)
Sal & Carmines (NYC)
Sac's (Queens)
Denino's (Staten Island)
Joe & Pat's (Staten Island)
Brooklyn's (Hackensack, NJ)
Delorenzo's (Trenton, NJ on Hudson St)
Delucias (Raritian, NJ)
Maruca's (Seaside Park, NJ)
Scorintino's (South Amboy, NJ)
Kate & Al's (Columbus Market, NJ)
Spirto's (Elizabeth, NJ)
Coffaro's (South River, NJ)
Pepe's (Seaside, NJ) r.i.p. 1970's
Zaffiro's (Milwaukie, WI)
Santucci's Square Pizza (Philly, PA)

Highly Overrated
L & B Spufunky Gardens (B'klyn)
Kinchley's (Ramsey, NJ)
Rizzo's (Queens)
Pete and Elda's Bar (Neptune, NJ)
Escape from NY (Portland, OR)

[Papageorgio]

I was very Disappointed in "Vic's" in Neptune. I went back a second time and again was disappointed. Pete and Eldas crust is lacking but has a good flavor.

The clear winner in my book is "Federici's" in Freehold. The crust is like none other that I have ever had. It is a thin cracker crust that reminds me of a Motza cracker. Very tasty crust. The cheese they use is unique also.( I believe the cheese is the same as Pete and Eldas ).

I can duplicate many styles of pizza at home BUT Federici's pie is one that I can even come close to. I have no idea how they make that crust. It is a recipe that is very well guarded by the kitchen workers who just happen to be family members.

Federici's is the the most unique and delicious pizza I have ever had anywhere.

Highly recommended !!!

[SteveVit]

I've been to "Federici's" in Freehold three different times and just don't get it. I rank it better than average but still highly overrated.


The top three Pizza
----------------------------
DiFara's (B'klyn) The absolute best! The King!
Top Road Tavern & Pizza (Trenton, NJ) NJ's best tomato pie!
Palermo's (Bordentown, NJ) NJ's second best!


Great Pizza
--------------
DeMarco's (NYC)
Patsy's (NYC)
Grimaldi's (B'klyn)
Frank Pepe's (New Haven, CT)
Vic's (Bradley Beach, NJ)
Santillo's Brick Oven Pizza (Elizabeth, NJ)
Delorenzo's (Trenton, NJ on Hamilton Ave)

Good Pizza
-----------------------------
John's (NYC)
Sal & Carmines (NYC)
Sac's (Queens)
Denino's (Staten Island)
Joe & Pat's (Staten Island)
Brooklyn's (Hackensack, NJ)
Delorenzo's (Trenton, NJ on Hudson St)
Delucias (Raritian, NJ)
Maruca's (Seaside Park, NJ)
Scorintino's (South Amboy, NJ)
Kate & Al's (Columbus Market, NJ)
Spirto's (Elizabeth, NJ)
Coffaro's (South River, NJ)
Pepe's (Seaside, NJ) r.i.p. 1970's
Zaffiro's (Milwaukie, WI)
Santucci's Square Pizza (Philly, PA)

-------------------------------

Highly Overrated
L & B Spufunky Gardens (B'klyn)
Kinchley's (Ramsey, NJ)
Rizzo's (Queens)
Pete and Elda's Bar (Neptune, NJ)
Federici's (Freehold, NJ)
Strawberry's (Woodbridge, NJ)
Escape from NY (Portland, OR)
The Blind Onion (Portland, OR)
Juliano's (Vancouver, WA)

[BenLee]

I've been all over NJ and I'd say my order of best pizzas in NJ.

1. Delorenzo's Tomato Pies (Trenton)
2. Brooklyn's Coal Oven Pizzeria (Hackensack), from the Grimaldi family
3. Grimaldi's (Hoboken)
4. Federici's (Freehold), although, I've only been there once in the past 4 years and the pizza wasn't as good as it used to be.

My order overall

1. Delorenzo's, no pizza place has eclipsed this that I've been to so far.
2. Luzzo's (new york)
3. Brooklyn's (Hackensack)
4. Grimaldies (hobkoken)
5. Totonno's (new york)
6. Federici's (freehold)
7. Gnocco (new york)
8. Chickie's and Pete's (Bordentown & Philly)
9. Pete and Eldas (Neptune)
10. Vic's (Bradley Beach)

I think Una Pizza Napoletana was insanely overrated.  Not enough tomatoes, and the pizza was drowned in about 2 milimeters of olive oil which flooded the crust after I cut the pizza. 

Places I plan to visit:
Frank Pepe's
Sally's Apizza
Patsy's
Di Fara

[alembic54]

For those of you who are in or near Monmouth County....I urge you to try Nunzio's in Long Branch. beside's deLorenzo's its my favorite pie anywhere. I have been going there for almost 10 years and I have NEVER had a less than killer apizz. Thin (but not too thin) crust, with great ingedients. Also, the litmus test for me for ANY pizza is this.  Hold a piece by the end of the crust. if it stays and doesn't wilt. You've got it made! That is why many of the so called legendary pizza destinations fail to make it to the top of my list. Places like lombardi's and DiFara's and Una Pizza napoletana , although they use the best ingredients, ultimately flunk my test...they wilt!  they just aren't crisp enough.

Go to Nunzio's you won't be disappointed.

I just found this site and its great. i'm a sucker for great pie and dirve great distances to prove it. I live in Essex County NJ and drive 50 miles to Nunzio's and about the same distance to DeLorenzo's.

the journey is the prize...

Jeff

[BenLee]

I just got done with my trip to New England and hit up Frank Pepe's and Sally's.  I don't quite see what the hype is about.  To me, Frank Pepe was simply very good pizza but no where near all time greats.  The clam pie is very good and Pepe's definitely deserves credit for inventing it.  However, my girlfriend immediately told me that I make a better clam pie.  To me, Sally's was better than Pepe's, however, it didn't offer much more than the typical thin crust pizza's in New Jersey (Pete and Eldas, Vic's, Federici's).  The coal oven added a little flavor to the pie. 

In my book, Delorenzo's still reigns supreme.  I'd say the only 2 major places on the East Coast I haven't hit up are DiFara's and Patsy's (surprisingly).  I think I'll try DiFara's next.

[alembic54]

Ben:

Try Nunzio's you will not be disappointed!  I think it smokes Federici's which IMHO is TOO THIN!

The journey is the prize....

Jeff

[David]

I ate at Nunzios today.Mediocre at best.Very similar in texture and flavor to Red Bank Pizza.Nothing seemed to stand out.The best part of the whole experience was how the building has retained it's old facade and appearance.I must say the place is spotlessly clean,and definitely a time capsule in many ways.

[charbo]

I lived in Long Branch in the mid-70's.  Nunzio's was across the street from Tuzio's.  As I recall, they both had good pie.

[David]

Tuzios is still next door.I ate at Luzzos tonight and it was very, very good.It is a completely different type of Pizza so should not be compared to Nunzios.The tomatoes jumped out at me with a bright,clean flavour,and the crust was balanced in texture.Compared to the flavor of the Pizza at Nunzios last night it was like night and day.The only part that wasn't memorable about tonight was the sausage - slightly to gristley (?) and without much taste IMO.